It is well documented that the world is in a global drinking water crisis. The majority of Earths water is salt water, around 97%. The need for a solution to save all potential drinking water is critical as only 3% of the available water is fresh. A majority of our fresh water is found on the surface and, when left unchecked, flows into rivers and out to sea.
We cannot count on the natural cycle of rain clouds delivering rain to the ground. The ground soaks up the rain to nourish plants and flows (via water table) out to canals and the Sea. The evaporation cycle starts over and recharges the clouds. While current reverse osmosis processes can operate on high saline levels, the cost of operation is extremely high. Even if water is drawn for deep wells (below 900 ft) in an effort to avoid high saline contents, the ground can impart a high level of dissolved solids wherein the reverse osmosis pretreatment is most expensive. The Reverse Osmosis plants reoccurring costs are higher due to the need to remove/dispose salt or high levels of dissolved solids.
What is needed in the industry is an apparatus and method of in-ground collecting of water. The prior art has failed to contemplate a system as taught in the present invention. A list of prior patents which may be of interest is presented below:
U.S. Pat. No.Patentee(s)Issue Date6,840,710Peters; Stanley R.Jan. 11, 20055,551,807Breaux; Louis B. (Marrero, LA)Sep. 03, 19965,118,230Justice; Donald R.Oct. 01, 19925,685,668Justice; Donald R.Nov. 11, 19974,326,818Willis; Dudley L. (Newark, DE)Apr. 27, 19824,927,297SimsonMay 22, 19905,758,991Shiosaka; Kunio (Shizuoka, JP)Jun. 02, 199982,101,285StevensDec. 07, 19373,302,412HunsuckerFeb. 07, 19673,886,705CornlandJun. 03, 19756,139,225Koike, et al.Oct. 31, 20005,360,293Breaux, et al.Nov. 04, 19944,048,373ClemSep. 13, 19777,198,432ChenApr. 03, 20074,399,866DearthAug. 23, 19833,640,074KoppFeb. 02, 1972
U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,710 discloses an underground reservoir for storing water in alluvial deposits utilizes slurry walls keyed to an aquiclude beneath the reservoir to form a substantially impermeable water seal. A variety of water extraction/recharge apparatus provides for rapid and complete filling and draining of the underground reservoir. Such apparatus includes a plurality of wells distributed about the underground reservoir and a series of perforated pipes buried at a predetermined depth within the underground reservoir. No piping is needed to flow ground water into a collection point or well. Also there is no need for a plurality of wells. There is not a need to encircle the barrier area due to groundwater flow direction. Unlike this example it is not important that the trench must extend down so that it is “keyed” into the bedrock or other confining layer (such as clay) that runs below the alluvial deposits. Our patent is not dependent on being keyed into the bedrock. One other major difference is that our system relies on ground-flow that is not restricted on all four sides (not-contained). This approach has limited volume because it is a 360 degree perimeter (totally enclosed) and has no leakage allowable. It is too costly to cut into and below the base hardpan (more barrier and less water volume benefit.)
U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,807 discloses an in-ground barrier system the degree of containment is critical due to the desire to trap hazardous waste. Our patent relies on routing groundwater, leakage is not a problem. No guide-boxes are needed. We are able to use slurry barriers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,230 discloses a leachate containment system used to surround a contaminated site such as a landfill or a hazardous chemical dump site. The impermeable membrane liner surrounds the entire site to seal migrating ground water from mixing with contaminated ground water which has been contaminated by leachate agents, passing from the hazardous material into the ground water. The system is a 360 degree entrapment, clearly different.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,668 discloses a delivery system includes a horizontal well to be placed alongside the liner material at any depth from four feet to the bottom depth of the liner material for free product recovery, for liquid recovery, for liquid injection, for air injection or vapor extraction. It is clearly different. Infiltration is a concern with this application. Our process does not require a fluid be put inside the liner delivery system to equalize hydrostatic head pressure. The liner delivery system discuss in U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,668 must result in keeping water out of in the inside of the barrier. The barrier material is limited to high-density polyethylene (HDPE). A lowermost edge portion of the liner material is needed to form a “J” formation on the bottom of the liner material. The “J” formation holds grout to prevent leakage in effect keying of the bottom of the liner material into an underlying layer of lower permeability. The portion would contact, for example, an impermeable clay material to complete an impermeable zone. This “J” formation is not needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,818, discloses an enclosed flexible wall extending vertically downward toward a natural aquiclude or stone base that is impermeable to water. The wall is formed by a grouting process where a grout pipe is first inserted through the soil until the pipe reaches the aquiclude and is then withdrawn while a grout material is injected under pressure from the end of the pipe. The grout material moves away from the injection zone and fills the pores of the formation where it hardens to form a grout “column.” This process is repeated numerous times to form a closed perimeter wall around a defined reservoir boundary. That is, adjacent grout columns are positioned so that there is little or no space between the columns. A second and third round of grout columns are then formed adjacent the first round of columns to form a wall that is said to be substantially impermeable to water. Conventional wells and feed lines are then constructed within the boundary of the grout wall to withdraw and supply water to the reservoir as needed. The specific reservoir described in the Willis patent suffers from a number of drawbacks. Initially, the grout wall construction technique described by Willis (i.e., pressure-grouting clay or other “flexibilized” materials and allowing the grout to “jel” into place) does not typically form uniform subsurface columns. Rather, the grout material disperses from the end of the grout pipe in an uneven and haphazard manner (i.e., permeating different radial distances away from the grout pipe) as the grout pipe is retracted toward the surface. The uneven nature of the grouting process tends to form vertical sand seams between the grouted columns at the outer boundary of the pressure injection. These sand “lenses” or areas of high permeability formed between adjacent grout “columns” result in grout walls that do not form substantially impermeable water barriers and that are susceptible to relatively high levels of water leakage or seepage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,297 discloses a Leak Prevention Structure—The application of the membrane is very costly and is designed for preventing hazardous waste leakage. Our system does not require the tight leakage limits. The trench configuration and structural inserts are not required. Concrete and beams are used in this slurry application and is not required for our patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,991 discloses an underground dam system includes movable opening for flow control. Our patent has a fixed level for flow control without movable parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,101,285 discloses a “tubular interlocking piling” of steel having interlocking structures incorporated therewith. The specification teaches the system as being used in the construction or reinforcement of coffer dams, bridge piers and the like. It is noted that the apparatus does not contemplate the utilization of a containment structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,302,412 to Hunsucker discloses an “interlocking sheet piles and method of installation”, including means to slidingly engage and seal the sheet piles. The system is likewise obviously distinguishable from the present invention, for a variety of reasons.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,886,705 to Cornland discloses a “Hollow Structural Panel of Extruded Plastics Material and a Composite Panel Structure Formed Thereof”. The patent teaches a hollow structural panel configured to form partition walls or the like and is designed for resisting deformation due to load bearing. While the '705 patent does teach the utilization of a rubber gasket for preventing leakage of snow, rain, or the like, this apparatus is unsuitable for utilization in conjunction with the system of the present invention. Apparently, the system of the '705 patent would require complete fabrication above ground prior to installation, which would make the system unsuitable for use with the preferred method of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,225 discloses an underground continuous wall building method is very different. Example includes: The slanting continuous trench may be continuously excavated in a zigzag manner
U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,293 discloses an in-ground barrier member interlocking joint and seal system. The locking and structural members are clearly different. It is a joint/sealing system for interlocked, in-ground barrier members which form an in-ground containment wall, including a “U” shaped gasket interfacing with a longitudinally extended male member to form oppositely.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,373 discloses cardboard panels and clay (bentonite). Using bentonite as a barrier has been proven effective. The panel is provided forming a water barrier and comprising two opposing spaced sheets having between said spaced sheets a sealant composition comprising bentonite; a water soluble dispersing agent. The panel is disposed against a foundation to act as a water barrier, shielding the foundation against water seepage.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,198,432 discloses a water resource recycling system includes an environmental permeable flooring which allows the rain on the ground be accumulated and quickly permeate into the underground. This approach not include an in-ground barrier system to prevent ground water leakage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,866 discloses a series of wells to create a perimeter to capture rainwater and flow underground into wells. This does not benefit from unrestricted water table flow. Limits the amount of ground water flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,074 discloses a Process for Collecting and Storing Fresh Water in Earth. A thin water impermeable barrier is established in water permeable earth adjacent to the shore of a body of salt water and extended downward from the level of the high point of salt water intrusion into the water permeable earth to a nonwater-permeable earth layer. This process is very different it utilizing a series of closely spaced holes 1 in the water permeable earth throughout the length of the barrier.